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Dates & Prices

To book this tour, please refer to the sidebar ►

Prices are in US Dollars (USD), before taxes (if applicable) - All pricing reflects per-person Land Only expenses, however, we can book flights from virtually every city. Please call us for an air quote.

Start Date

End Date

Price

More Info

Wed 05 Apr 2017

Mon 24 Apr 2017

$6490 USD

Wait-list Only

Fri 07 Apr 2017

Wed 26 Apr 2017

$6490 USD

Thu 19 Oct 2017

Tue 07 Nov 2017

$6490 USD

Wed 04 Apr 2018

Mon 23 Apr 2018

$6490 USD

Thu 18 Oct 2018

Tue 06 Nov 2018

$6490 USD

Optional Single Supplement: $964 USD (number of singles limited).

Tour Overview

Japan is the quintessential study in contrast and contradiction. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has adopted (and created) some of the latest modern fashions and trends. Its cities are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer condominiums. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door that leads to a traditional chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and a tea ceremony. Such juxtapositions are cause for many surprises and very little boredom for any visitor to Japan.

Testimonials

Alexander H. (Bobcaygeon, ON, CA)

Incredibly personable, patient with all of those who were forever wandering off, keeping us on track re time, and offering a variety of experiences.

Anna H. (Foster City, US)

This was a wonderful trip in large part because of our Tour Leader, Stephen Scrogings. We loved the itinerary, felt that we saw the highlights of the places we went. We loved the variety of sights and the quality of the local guides. We particularly liked the Zen Gardens. We also enjoyed the variety of public transportation we used. We found the train system excellent, particularly the Shinkansen. It exceeded our expectations. Stephen arranged that we would try the local specialties in each area, and generally provided us with a great variety of foods. There was something for everyone.

Audrey D. (North Vancouver, CA)

It was a delightful tour of Japan by train and bus and ferry to see Buddhist temples, palaces and people bowing, Shinto shrines and stunning scenery, to enjoy sunny weather and good company and to eat sashimi, sushi and okonomiyaki. I thoroughly enjoyed travelling on the trains, either Shinkansen or local train, and seeing the countryside go by. The buses we used were clean and the drivers, particularly the driver from Kumamoto to Nagasaki, were good.Stephen (Tour Leader)enjoys people and is enthusiastic about sharing his interest in Japan and ensuring that we enjoy the experiences it has to offer.

Brian P. (Ottawa, ON, CA)

Excursions were very good. We would have enjoyed going up the tower to view the city landscape. All local guides were excellent and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed all aspects of travel by train, subway, ferry, and taxi, providing excellent experience with Japanese transportation. The bullet train was comfortable and a fun experience. Our tour leader Stephen's organization skills made it extremely easy to manage all our traveling in Japan. Stephen is a professional. He is enthusiastic, energetic, caring, has a good sense of humour, is very likeable, patient. The hotels were modern, clean, well situated. Internet was available everywhere. Japan is a beautiful country to visit: modern, clean, organized. The people are friendly, polite and helpful. Good itinerary, lots of variety. Travelling with Stephen through Japan made this trip a most memorable experience.

Helen R. (Victoria, BC, CA)

We enjoyed all aspects of travel by train, as well as subway, ferry, and taxi, providing excellent experience with Japanese transportation. With respect to sites, museums, and city visits, we enjoyed the introductory support followed by the freedom to explore on our own when desirable. Our tour leader Stephen Scrogings was always a wealth of information, either preparing us for, or reinforcing or expanding comments made earlier in the day by the local guides. In particular we enjoyed the sculpture garden in the Hakone region, the Hida No Sato Folk village in Takayama, and the Kyushu National museum in Fukuoka. All of the local guides were very helpful and informative. They gave excellent responses to direct questions from the group and were very valuable with respect to the specific of the local area. Stephen is the best tour group leader we have had the pleasure to travel with: great laid-back, relaxed manner, good sense of humour, attentive to individual needs, very detail-oriented with respect to travel plans, excellent background knowledge of people, history, and language, very supportive and able to balance the diverse needs of the group. We d love to take another tour with him and would recommend him highly to anyone intending to take your Japan tour.

Kenneth W. (Toronto, ON, CA)

Stephen speaks excellent Japanese, is organized and insightful. Explained the culture and gave advice on what to see and do.

Mishy M. (Toronto, ON, CA)

Excursions were very interesting and enjoyable. Local guides were pleasant, well informed and helpful. Evening meals were varied and venues were well chosen. Stephen was very friendly, energetic, enthusiastic and sensitive to the needs of tour members. A tour leader really sets the tone of a tour and Stephen is very good at his job. He helped to make the tour a positive
and memorable experience. We were happy with our experiences on this tour.

Peggy M. (Vancouver, BC, CA)

My favourite excursions were the Fish Market in Tokyo; National Museum in Tokyo and Ginza; Zen Garden and Bamboo Forest in Kamakura; Hakone Outdoor Museum; view of Mt. Fuji from the cable car; Takayama - the town and the Onsen at the hotel; Kyoto -everything; Miyajima; Kumamoto Castle; Nagasaki - Peace park, Glover Gardens; Fukuoka - the street dancing competitions. All of our local guides were excellent. The meals were well planned and we had variety. The trains were on time and comfortable. Our tour leader Stephen was attentive to everyone's needs and has a wonderful sense of humour. He was always cheerful and positive. Stephen was fluent in Japanese which made this tour flow smoothly, he has a great knowledge of Japanese history and culture and good insight into the Japanese personality - having lived in Japan, he was comfortable with everyone we met along the way. Excellent tour - lots of variety, good itinerary and the right length.

Sheila R. (Omaha, NE, US)

Stephen was exceptionally good at including everyone. It was clear that he is quite a scholar of Japanese history, etc.

Teresa P. (Duncan, BC, CA)

The food throughout the tour was exceptional, we enjoyed many varies of food and different locations for our meals. As I have mentioned to friends I think I would have taken the tour for the food alone. The presentation of some of the meals were beautiful and many of us took photographs to show the arrangements of the dishes.

Full Itinerary

To book this tour, please refer to the sidebar ►

Day 1Arrival in TokyoToday we arrive in Tokyo and transfer to our hotel.

Tokyo is Japan's capital and the country's largest city. Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities.

Overnight in Tokyo.Meal plan: Dinner

Day 2Tokyo: City TourFirst thing this morning we visit the exciting Tsukiji Fish Market.* Here we are able to witness the bustling activity of the central wholesale market, the largest fish market in the world. Although the market contains stalls selling meats and vegetables, the real product is the two million
kilograms of fish sold here every day. Over 1,500 fishmongers scurry about on motorised fish-mobiles in a cavernous warehouse where huge blocks of ice, all expertly hand-sawed, not only to cool the interior but also to miraculously keep all odour of fish at bey.

We then make our way to the Imperial Palace or Kokyo, built on the site of the Edo-jo Castle, an impregnable fortress that housed the Tokugawa Shogunate for 265 years. Surrounded by moats, the original outer walls extended for over 16 km (10 miles) and were thick enough for a squad of samurai to walk six abreast on top. Even in its original state, it deceptively looked more like an administrative villa than a fortress. Once inside, it was a maze of moats, bridges, dead-ends and cul-de-sacs, all perfect for defense, and now perfect for private and public strolling parks and gardens. Occupied by the shogunate for 265 years until Emperor Meiji moved the court here in 1860's, the buildings survived until they were all but obliterated by the fire bombings of WWII.

After peering into this amazing complex, we continue on to Ginza. We will take a brief walk through the food halls where you will see the amazing variety of beautifully presented foods being sold at unbelievable prices. Seeing where and how the Japanese shop, what they buy, for whom and for what occasion, offers instructive glimpses into a highly sophisticated social strata where conventions of human interaction and presentation are minutely-defined.

We continue from here on to Ueno, home to the National Museum and the finest collection of Japanese art in the country. After our guided tour of the museum we will return to our hotel.

* PLEASE NOTE that after November 2016, this market will be relocating. It is unclear if the new location will be open to visitors, or in a place that makes it practical for our tour. This activity may have to be eliminated from spring 2017 onward.

Overnight in Tokyo.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 3Tokyo - Kamakura - TokyoThis morning we venture (private coach) to Kamakura, the capital established by the Shogun Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192. He was the first permanent shogun and ruler of Japan. His motivation was to get away from the corrupt imperial court of Kyoto. Within the next century many grand monuments were built, and has 65 Buddhist temples and 19 Shinto shrines located amongst its wooded hills. An easily defendable site, surrounded on three sides by hills and the fourth by the sea, is a dramatic setting for our wanderings through the area. One of the highlights here will be a visit to the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha; the second largest bronze image in Japan. We will also visit a beautiful Zen garden set within a bamboo forest.

We return to Tokyo in the mid-late afternoon.

Overnight in Tokyo.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 4Tokyo - Lake Ashi - HakoneThis morning we take a short metro (train) ride* to Odawara Station where we connect with our private coach towards Lake Ashi near Hakone after a brief stop at Odawara Castle. Your larger bags (one per person) will be shipped ahead to Takayama, and you will need to pack an overnight bag to carry with you for the the one overnight in Hakone.

Wedged between Mt Fuji and the Izu Peninsula, Hakone is a large region encircled by several forested mountains with a beauty accented by deep glens and ravines. In the feudal era, Hakone was a very important checkpoint that safeguarded the security of Edo (now Tokyo) as the seat of the Shogunate. This onsen (hotspring) area has been popular since the 1500s, when Hideyoshi Toyotomi came here to relax in an open-air bath after the hard fought Battle of Odawara.

From the castle town of Odawara we board a bus that takes us into the National Park. We then board a lake cruiser on Lake Ashi for scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Weather permitting, we can enjoy views of Mt Fuji. One of the highlights today will be our visit to the Hakone Outdoor Museum, or Chokoku-no-mori, a beautiful park filled with sculptures by renowned Japanese and international artists such as Rodin, Bourdelle, Moore, Zadkine and Picasso.

Tonight we will enjoy a Keiseki-type meal at our hotel. Originally this type of dining was to accompany tea ceremony and is a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. You can feel free to wear your yukata, or bathrobe (provided by the hotel) to the dining room tonight as many of the Japanese do when they stay in these types of hotels. It is a perfectly wonderful place to relax after leaving busy Tokyo behind. Later this evening you will be able to enjoy bathing in these therapeutic waters at our hotel.

* PLEASE NOTE: We use the rail system quite extensively on this tour, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO MANAGE YOUR OWN BAGS ONTO / OFF TRAINS AND IN TRAIN STATIONS. Japanese stations can be large and crowded and may not have escalators or elevators. Packing lightly is essential. If you are unsure about your suitability for this type of trip, please call and speak to one of our sales agents for more information.

Overnight in Hakone.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5Hakone - TakayamaToday we travel by Bullet Train to Takayama. The region known as Hida, which surrounds Takayama, was cut off from the rest of Japan by almost impregnable encircling mountains. Hida lacked good farmland, which made taxpaying from an agricultural livelihood an impossible burden upon the people. Necessity caused them to diversify, so the craftsmen of Takayama honed their tools to a sharpness matched by their skills and became known as the finest woodworkers in the land. The mountains yielded the most coveted lumber in the empire, which Takayama's artisans fashioned into magnificent works worthy to adorn Japan's finest temples, shrines and palaces. During the Nara period, the central government, in lieu of taxes, required ten Takayama craftsmen to relocate to the capital, where their considerable talents were employed. During the Tokugawa era, the ancestral daimyo of Takayama was reassigned to the far north.

Our train journey today takes us through the scenic Hida River Valley. We arrive in the late afternoon and will have time to wander through the lovely town of Takayama and the merchant quarter of San-machi with its historic wooden structures.

Overnight in Takayama.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 6Takayama: City TourThis morning we will visit the colourful early morning market before heading to the Hida Folk Village, consisting of over 30 unique houses which had been scattered in the Hida region. The houses are attractively laid out around a small lake and display valuable articles showing the way of life and culture of the past. The style of architecture is called gassho-zukuri, or praying hand houses, because of the steep pitch of the roofs reminiscent of two clasped hands in prayer. This was to protect the occupants from the large amounts of snow that fall here over the winter months. Upon our return to the town centre we will visit the Yatai Kaikan, or Float Museum.

Your afternoon is at leisure. Takayama is a small, interesting and manageable place for those who enjoy easy going, on-foot exploration.

Overnight in Takayama.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 7Takayama - KyotoOur journey continues by train to Kyoto, back through the Hida Valley to connect to a Bullet Train in Nagoya.

Kyoto vibrates with creative energy. For 1,000 years, skilled craftsmen, wise masters, and the nation's most promising fine artists have been lured here. The deep impress of culture and the refinement is indelible; it's in the soul of the city. A long line of Japanese emperors was enthroned here, and the city retains this regal bearing through myriad festivals and commemorative customs preserved from feudal times. In diminutive home workshops along cobblestone alleyways no wider than a footpath, lacquerware, cloisonne, damascene, kimono fabrics, pottery, porcelain, fans, dolls, embroideries, and bamboo ware are still expertly turned out by hand. Kyoto attracts a sophisticated crowd to its vibrant Noh and Kabuki theatres, while the last geisha finishing schools are found in the lantern-lit side streets of the Pontocho and Gion sections of the city.

Thankfully, Kyoto's treasures were spared from bombing during WW II, when American scholars persuaded the military to leave this masterpiece of a city alone. Though Kyoto is now a thoroughly modern city, much of its spirit is intact, with over 200 Shinto shrines; 1,600 temples, 30 of which administer to the major sects of Buddhism throughout Japan; three Imperial palaces; nine major museums; and countless classic gardens.

We arrive in this fascinating city mid-afternoon. Tonight we will venture to the Pontocho District, one of the traditional geisha quarters of Kyoto and next door to its rival Gion. Wandering down the narrow lanes with the Kama River flowing alongside gives a sense to what this city was like long ago.

Overnight in Kyoto.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 8Kyoto: City TourWe have a full day sightseeing in Kyoto.

We visit Heian Shrine, built in 1895 to commemorate the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of the capital. It is a replica to three-fifths of the size of the first imperial palace in the ancient capital Heiankyo. Behind it, there is a beautiful go-round style garden with a total area of 30,000 sq m which is well known for the beauty of its weeping cherry trees, Japanese iris, and waterlilies.

Next is Sanjusangendo, the popular name for Rengeo-in, a temple famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The temple was founded in 1164 and rebuilt a century later after the original structure had been destroyed in a fire. The temple hall is with 120 meters Japan's longest wooden structure. The name Sanjusangendo (literally "33 intervals") derives from the number of intervals between the building's support columns, a traditional method of measuring the size of a building. In the center of the main hall sits a large, wooden statue of a 1000-armed Kannon (Senju Kannon) that is flanked on each side by 500 statues of human sized 1000-armed Kannon standing in ten rows. Together they make for an awesome sight.

We continue to Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavillion, and proceed to Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, one of Japan's most famous architectural and historical icons. We also visit Ryoan-ji, the famous raked gravel Zen Garden, for which the Zen Buddhists are renowned. The essential dichotomy and harmony of the universe, which lies at the heart of this belief system, is symbolized in these tranquil gardens.

NOTE: In order maintain a certain spontaneity during our time in Kyoto, the exact sites visited and their order in the itinerary may vary at the discretion of your Tour Leader.

Overnight in Kyoto.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 9Kyoto - Nara - KyotoToday we travel by local train to Nara.

The crest of every mountain, the slope of every hill, the mute testimony of every rock, the waterfall, rivulet, and the valley of Nara are infused with the intangible spiritual energy that accompanied the birth of the Japanese civilization. Nara, meaning "level land, " occupies the great basin of what was Yamoto, or the Land of Great Peace. Here was the centre of the half-real, half mythical kingdom of Japan before it became a nation. Jimmu Tenno, the first emperor of Japan, was purportedly buried at Nara, the Imperial Japan, the oldest existing dynasty in the world, established its first permanent court within the city in 710. Arts, culture, and literature also bloomed in this fertile valley. The earliest histories of the nation were compiled in Nara by noble court ladies in colloquial Japanese, and from the ancient city Buddhism spread throughout the land.

In its glory days, Nara covered an expansive area linked by palaces, temples, shrines, public buildings, and nobles' villas. The temples were massive and extremely powerful, almost like independent city-states. Numerous fires, the ravages of time, war, and pestilence have reduced many of the ancient structures, but plenty remain in their original states, especially in the eastern sections of the city. Part of this legacy is the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Otera, the largest bronze statue in the world, tipping the scales at over 500 tonnes.

Nara Koen, at over 500 ha (1235 acres), is Japan's largest park and is home to the sacred deer of nearby Kasuga Taisha. This shrine, moss-covered and illuminated by over 3000 stone lanterns, was first erected in 768 and is second in importance only to the Grand shrines of Ise. As we walk through this park dotted with temples and deer wandering about, you will be struck at how the sublime cultural richness of the quiet past lingers on.

Overnight in Kyoto.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 10Kyoto: Nijo Castle & Leisure timeThis morning we visit Nijo Castle, built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep. After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened up to the public as a historic site. Its palace buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and the castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.

The balance of the day is yours to explore Kyoto on your own. A good place to start may be the small Japanese garden named Shoseien, located another few street blocks east of Higashi Honganji. Your Tour Leader can help you plan your afternoon.

Overnight in Kyoto.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 11Kyoto - HiroshimaToday we take the Shinkansen train to Hiroshima. Passing through Osaka and Kobe, just minutes from Kyoto on this fast train, we will arrive at our destination in just a couple of hours.

Modern Hiroshima rose like a phoenix from its own ashes. Less than five decades since its obliteration, it is once again the most vital city of San-Yo with a population of one million and growing. Hiroshima is referred to as the "River City." In its confines, the Ota-gawa River fans out into six delta tributaries that flow into the immense and very busy bay. In the years just following the A-bomb blast, scientists doubted if Hiroshima could ever live again. Today the streets hum with activity, trees and flowers grow, and birds sing. Nature may not forget, but it does forgive!

On the morning of August 6, 1945, the people of war-torn Japan hurried to begin the day. Then suddenly buildings melted, people evaporated, and humankind lost the first battle of the atomic age. Seventy thousand buildings were flattened and 200,000 people perished, the lucky ones quickly; the unlucky lingered. Hiroshima, fringed by mountains forming a natural amphitheatre, seethed and fumed.

Our visit takes us to the Peace Memorial Park (Heiwa Kinen Koen). Here the Cenotaph, shaped like an ancient tomb, holds the names of the dead. The prayer, the hope, the Japanese reads "Repose ye in peace, for the error shall not be repeated." The skeleton of the Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Domu) turns green with age against a blue sky. Until all nuclear arms are banned and destroyed, the Eternal Flame will flicker. We will visit the Peace Memorial Museum and walk to the A-Bomb Dome, passing the many monuments, memorials, and statues.

Overnight Hiroshima.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 12Hiroshima - Miyajima - HiroshimaToday we travel by train and ferry to Miyajima where we spend the day.

Since ancient times, Miyajima has been regarded as one of the "Three Most Beautiful Spots" of Japan and, as part of the Seto Inland Sea National Park, it has received several distinctions, such as a place of extraordinary scenic beauty, exceptional history, and a natural monument. The virgin forests neighbouring Mt. Misen are representative of the lush greenery and abundance of nature which still covers the entire island even now. A surprisingly large number of southwestern Japan native botanical specimens can still be found on Miyajima. The island is like a miniature model of Japan, showing the harmonious ecology of all living things from the ocean depth to the top of mountains.

Our walking tour of the island will include a visit to the famous Itsukushima Shrine, which together with its large wooden tori, stands in the ocean during high tide. You will also have some free time to admire this World Heritage Site before returning to Hiroshima.

Overnight in Hiroshima.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 13Hiroshima - Kagoshima & Sakurajima IslandToday's Shinkansen train journey takes us along the eastern coast of Kyushu to Kagoshima.*

Kagoshima City is the capital of Kagoshima prefecture. The city originally prospered as the castle town of Lord Shimadzu, and was the first city to introduce western civilisation to Japan. Today, it is the largest City in Southern Kyushu with about 540,000 people. Kagoshima City nestled on the west shore of beautiful Kinko Bay with majestic Mt. Sakurajima (the symbol of Kagoshima) is referred to as the Naples of the Orient.

One of Kagoshima's greatest contributions to modern Japan is it's role over the centuries as a gateway for trade and exchange between Japan and the world. Japan has traditionally been a closed culture and only recently pursued international ties. Kagoshima is the catalyst city credited for "opening Japan to the World".

In 1543, a Portuguese vessel landed on Tanegashima one of the southern islands, bringing the first firearms to Japan. In 1549 The Spanish missionary Francisco Xavier landed in Kagoshima and introduced Christianity to Japan. During the 17th century, the shogunate had an "isolation policy" which prohibited contact with other nations; however, Satsuma (now Kagoshima) continued to trade with China, and sent students to England to study Western culture.

Upon arrival we have an excursion by boat and bus to Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes and the symbol of Kagoshima. The volcano smokes constantly, and minor eruptions often take place multiple times per day. Located in the middle of Kagoshima Bay, Sakurajima is the area's most prominent geographic feature, having an elevation of 1117 meters and a circumference of about 50 kilometers.

Before a powerful eruption in 1914, Sakurajima used to be an island in the bay, but the massive lava flow from that eruption created the volcano's current land connection to the Osumi Peninsula in the east. We'll visit the Sakurjima Visitors' Centre, which has models, pictures, videos and information boards about Sakurajima.

Overnight in Kagoshima.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 14Kagoshima & IbusukiToday we have a full-day tour of the Ibusuki region near Kagoshima.

Ibusuki is located on the southeast tip of the Satsuma Peninsula and is a famous resort area. Blessed with great weather, hibiscus flowers blossom all throughout the area, yet Ibusuki is best known for its steam and baths, heated by natural subterranean geysers.

We visit Chiran, a small town in the middle of the Satsuma Peninsula. Within the town there is a preserved samurai district with houses and gardens that date back about 250 years. Chiran's isolated location at the southern end of Kyushu has allowed the district to keep much of its historical character intact.

The preserved Samurai District consists of a 700 meter long street within downtown Chiran that runs parallel to the main thoroughfare. The street itself is very attractive, with the rock walls and hedges of residences and the forested hillsides in the distance. Unlike some other samurai districts, it is also free of telephone poles and parked cars that would detract from the historic atmosphere.

We stop at the Chiran Peace Museum For Kamikaze Pilots. This is a thought-provoking, and to many, a controversial museum dedicated to the lives and deaths of 1,036 suicide pilots or kamikaze (more commonly known as tokkoh-tai-in Japanese), who sacrificed themselves in the name of the Japanese Emperor in the latter stages of World War II.

At some point in our day, we will also visit a Shochu distillery. Shochu is a Japanese traditional hard liquor, distilled spirits made from grains and vegetables. The most common base ingredients are sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat and sugar cane. We'll like have a factory tour which includes an opportunity to taste and purchase this unique spirit for which this region is famous.

You'll also have a chance to experience a unique activity for which this region is renown. Blue-robed visitors come and lay in warm sand pits and are gradually covered with volcanic sand up to their necks. The weight and heat of the sand assists in the body's blood circulatiohn and, after about 10 minutes, the whole body begins to perspire. It is a relaxing sensation both young and old alike enjoy.

* Please note: Our oringinal itinerary travelled to Kumamoto and spent two nights there. After the earthquake of 2016, our itinerary was re-routed to spent more time in and around Kagoshima and Nagasaki, eliminating Kumamoto. It is possible that this program will revert at some point, depending on road / hotel conditions and traveller feedback.

Overnight in Kagoshima.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 15Kagoshima - NagasakiStill in Kagoshima, we visit Iso Ko-en Gardens, a wonderful garden with Mount Sakurajima as borrowed scenery in the background. The volcanic soil is extremely rich and the farmland at the base of this mountain is testament to its value.

Later we travel by train to Nagasaki, arriving in time for dinner.

Blessed with a temperate climate, a superb setting, and a history unlike that of any other prefecture in Japan, Nagasaki easily ranks as one of Japan's most rewarding and exotic destinations. Much of the prefecture's considerable charm can be traced to the unique role which the region played in Japanese history. From 1639 to 1859, while the rest of the country was secluded from foreign contact by governmental decree, the port of Nagasaki alone was allowed to conduct trade with Europe and the Asian mainland. This free-port status and the prolonged exposure to foreign cultures which it brought resulted in the creation of a sophisticated and liberal climate which no other part of Japan could hope to emulate.

Overnight in Nagasaki.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 16Nagasaki & Mt UnzenToday we visit the Nagasaki Peace Park, commemorating the atomic bombing of Nagasaki of August 9, 1945, which destroyed wide parts of the city and killed ten thousands of inhabitants.

The park is home to the massive Peace Statue as well as various other memorials. A monument around a black pillar marks the atomic explosion's epicenter in the nearby Hypocenter Park and stores the name list of bomb victims.

We then head to Mount Unzen, which has had several major eruptions in recent history, the deadliest of which occurred during the late Edo Period and resulted in the deaths of 15,000 people. The volcano erupted most recently from 1990 to 1995, sending pyroclastic flows (superheated clouds of volcanic gas and ash) down toward the town below. While most people were safely evacuated, 43 journalists, scientists and their taxi drivers were killed.

Much of the volcano's destruction was due to large mudflows of volcanic ash, known as lahars, which flowed down the mountainside, burying several homes and buildings that lay in their path. We will visit a small collection of these Buried Houses at the Mizunashi Honjin Fukae Michi no Eki roadside park. A few of the houses are protected under a dome.

Overnight in Nagasaki.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 17Nagasaki: City TourNagasaki's attractions are as varied as they are plentiful: feudal castles, samurai houses, Meiji-era Western villas, smoking volcanoes, mineral-rich hot-spring baths, architecturally pleasing resorts, rugged islands, beautiful beaches, and a hospitable and friendly people are just a few of the rewards awaiting the traveller to this diverse and dynamic prefecture.

This morning we will start with a trip to Glover Garden, named after Thomas Glover. This is a collection of European style houses which have been collected in to this park which cascades down the side of a hill. In addition to the houses which you can go through is the Museum of Traditional Performing Arts which contains beautifully decorated floats from the Kunchi Festivals. We will then ride the streetcar to the Nagasaki Dejima Museum. Dejima was an artificial island built in 1636 in Nagasaki Bay for foreign traders, as foreigners were banned from the country. This was a vital portal through which culture, money, goods, and ideas flowed in and out of Japan.

This afternoon is free for you to enjoy this wonderful city. Nagasaki has an interesting Chinese Confucian Temple that you may like to visit on your own, as well as a vibrant Chinatown. And, of course, the compelling Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum commemorates the explosion of the atomic bomb that devastated Nagasaki at 11:02am on 9 August 1945.

Overnight in Nagasaki.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 18Nagasaki - Saga Prefecture - FukuokaToday we travel by bus through Saga Prefecture, Japan's most important area for the production of traditional porcelain and pottery. Many of the kilns were established by potters who were taken to Japan from Korea after the war between Japan and Korea in the 1590s.

Arita ware originated in the beginning of the 17th century when layers of kaolin, the main component of porcelain, was discovered and the first porcelain kiln was built in present day Arita town. Arita is also called Imari ware because the products of the Arita Kiln were mainly shipped from the nearby port of Imari. Arita porcelains of the early days were typically made in the Chinese style of the period, with deep blue patterns on a white background, called "sometsuke." In the 1640s, a new style called "aka-e," characterised by bright colours and bold patterns principally in red, was invented. These two styles, sometsuke and aka-e, dominated Arita-Imari ware. These beautiful pieces of white earthenware from the Orient won tremendous acclaim in Europe and influenced the European porcelain industry.

Our first stop will be at the hidden village of Imari, and Karatsu will be our last stop before arriving in Fukuoka.

Overnight in Fukuoka.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 19Fukuoka: City TourFukuoka is a city blessed with a beautiful climate and a seaside location. Since ancient times the city has flourished as a crossroads of international exchange.

It is said that the earliest Japanese state mentioned in historical records, Nakoku, was located in the area where the city is now located. Foreign culture first entered Japan through Fukuoka. The Gold Seal discovered across the bay from Fukuoka City on Shikanoshima Island symbolises the long history of the area. This seal, inscribed "King of the State of Na of Wa, or Japan, and Vassal of the Han Dynasty", dates back to AD 57.

Today we embark on a half-day tour of Fukuoka, including the Kanzeonji Temple, Dazaifu and Temmangu Square. The afternoon is at leisure to explore on your own.

Overnight in Fukuoka.Meal plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 20DepartureDeparture from Fukuoka.*

* LAND ONLY PASSENGERS: It is in theory possible to travel by train from Fukuoka back to Tokyo, but this is a rather long journey (8 hours) and can involve multiple train changes which, in Japan, can be daunting. Accordingly, if you need to return to Tokyo to fly from there, we recommend that you fly from Fukuoka.

ITTE IRASSHAI!!Meal plan: Breakfast

Tour Map

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*The red tour trail on the map does not represent the actual travel path.

Hotel List

The following is a list of sample hotels at some locations included on this tour. The hotels shown here are meant to provide a general sense of the standard of hotel we usually aim for; they are not necessarily confirmed for your chosen departure.

Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Location: TokyoCountry: JapanRight in the city heart, this hotel with its distinctive exterior is perfectly located for business and pleasure, served by ...subway lines and convenient to business, government, fashion and entertainment districts. A shopping arcade runs the length of the block-long building, with a variety of designer labels represented. Features: Satellite TV, telephone, refrigerator, hair dryer.

Rating: Location: KumamotoCountry: JapanThis charming property has long been a favourite for both business and leisure travellers. Every room in the hotel offers ...telephone, air conditioning, television, toiletries, slippers and hairdryer. The rooms are further provided with satellite television, radio and IDD phone.

Trip Information

To book this tour, please refer to the sidebar ►

Inclusions

Breakfast and dinner (mostly at local restaurants) are included daily. All transport, accommodation, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary. Gratuities for restaurant staff, porters, local guides. Airport transfers for land & air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.

Our spring tour can expect cool-warm temperatures with moderate humidity. April dates can expect daytime high temperatures of about 18-23 C (66-72 F), with chilly mornings and evenings. Our spring date is set to coincide with cherry blossom season (exact timing and location is reliant on weather conditions and can vary year to year). Our later spring date (May) should showcase azaleas and rhododendrons in some locations.

Rain showers can occur at any time, though their likelihood decreases the later we get into the fall. Our fall date coincides with the beginning of the cooler and drier time of year and should coincide with autumn leaf colour.

Transport and Travel Conditions

Our primary means of transportation throughout Japan is via the very efficient rail system, including the famous Shinkansen, or Bullet Train. Distances are not great and most journeys are only a few hours duration. A combination of buses and taxis will be used elsewhere as part of our local sightseeing programme.

The tour is physical in that it is busy and that YOU MUST BE ABLE TO MANAGE YOUR OWN BAGS ONTO / OFF TRAINS AND IN TRAIN STATIONS. Japanese stations can be large and crowded and may not have escalators or elevators. You must pack VERY lightly, preferably in "wheelie" type, soft-sided baggage or backpacks that you can fit into the overhead luggage compartments in the trains. You must also be steady on your feet and be able to endure some heat and long days. We have numerous walking tours and visit several sites that are LARGE with steps and uneven surfaces.

Accommodation

All hotels are centrally-located, Western style, air-conditioned, 3-4 star standard with private bath facilities. Laundry service is available at most hotels (except Hakone) for a rather high price. All hotel rooms are well equipped and usually include coffee/tea making facilities. Most hotels have hairdryers and irons. Some hotels have indoor/outdoor swimming pools.

NOTE: Specially designated non-smoking rooms are generally not available in Japan (they are unfamiliar with the concept). We automatically request non-smoking rooms wherever they are available, though we cannot promise this. Single rooms are limited and possibly smaller than twins. Porters are generally available (see 'Inclusions').